The final act of Man of Steel is filled with a few things that caused all kinds of controversy. Besides the wanton destruction of Metropolis, many fans were not happy that Superman resorted to murder to defeat General Zod. Their argument is that Superman, a being who is (ideally) utterly good, would never have killed his enemy. He’s beyond such actions, and a “no killing” policy has been adhered to for decades in many of Superman’s stories.

David S. Goyer, however, disagrees. The writer of Batman Begins, Man of Steel and the upcoming Batman vs. Superman recently spoke about his work in the DC Universe. He doesn’t think the “Superman doesn’t kill” rule is necessarily valid in the films. He also suggested the act will have ramifications moving forward, in films such as Batman vs. Superman. Read his quotes and more below. Read More »

If you had questions about the portrayal of Superman as a hero in Man of Steel, you’re going to be interested in the latest comments from director Zack Snyder. The film concludes with a battle in Metropolis, during which Superman and General Zod pummel the hell out of one another, and in so doing destroy massive sections of the city. The aftermath looks recognizably like a real-life war zone.

For months, people have argued over whether or not Metropolis had been evacuated prior to the battle. If it wasn’t, then scores of people must have been killed in the battle. But if people had been killed we would have seen them in the film, right? We don’t see them, ergo there are no dead people. (And what of the idea that we would have seen an evacuation happen?) I got the impression that there are mass casualties, and the fact that the “hero” of the film did nothing to try to avert them was a source of conversation afterward.

Now comments from Zack Snyder suggest that, indeed, loads of people were smushed in Metropolis, all to enahance some sense of myth. Read More »

Briefly: More info as it comes once the Warber Bros. panel begins, but the big rumor at Comic Con over the past couple days is now almost confirmed by the LA Times.

The site reports that Warner Bros. and DC are set to announce a Batman and Superman team-up film to follow Man of Steel. The title is expected to be World’s Finest, but that’s open to question for another hour or so. According to the report, Henry Cavill will reprise the Superman role, and Zack Snyder will reportedly direct from a David Goyer script.

In other words, this is basically Man of Steel 2, designed in a way that will explicitly expand the DC Universe on screen, and bring a new Batman to audiences. The actor to play Batman has not been announced, but Christian Bale is not expected to be the name announced.

Warner Bros. made it clear last week that they were eager to move on a Man of Steel sequel when they fast-tracked the project with director Zack Snyder and writer David Goyer returning — days before the first Man of Steel had even hit theaters. Now a new report reveals just how impatient the studio is. According to a source, Warner Bros. is hoping to push out Man of Steel 2 by 2014, with Justice League following the year after.

That’s a tight schedule for any movie project, let alone ones as expansive and expensive as these two. Good thing, then, that Snyder and Goyer have already started thinking about where to take Superman next. Hit the jump to get the details and read their comments.

Is there any way Man of Steel 2 could be in theaters next year? Want to see the new poster for Red 2 and read the tracklist for The Wolverine soundtrack? What do The Avengers and Daft Punk have in common? Did David Goyer comment on the collateral damage in Man of Steel? What did Bryan Singer say about rebooting in X-Men: Days of Future Past? How did Robert Downey Jr. disappoint an Iron Man fan? Read about all this and more in today’s Superhero Bits. Read More »

In the wake of the first wave of interconnected films from Marvel Studios, and the promise of a Justice League film, there’s the expectation that Warner Bros. is building DC Universe pointers into films such as Man of Steel. And this weekend’s successful launch of a new incarnation of Superman will have fans hopeful that we’ll see that expanded universe come together sooner rather than later.

Man of Steel director Zack Snyder, and David Goyer, who wrote stories for the Christopher Nolan Batman films and scripted Man of Steel, have both said that their Superman movie takes place in a different world from Nolan’s movies. But there is a definite design towards this film with future efforts. The existence of famous and not-so-famous characters is hinted throughout the movie.

What follows is not an exhaustive list of all the Easter Eggs in the film. There are many of those, from visual honors given to classic Superman artists, and appearances from minor characters that the most serious Superman comic fan might strain to recognize.

This list is all about the characters we see in Man of Steel — or the personas whose existence is hinted in the film — that could end up in future DC Universe movies. Full spoilers for Man of Steel follow.Read More »

It’s been six months since Dan Trachtenberg, formerly of The Totally Rad Show and director of the short Portal: No Escape, was announced as director of Y: The Last Man.

The Vertigo comic series, which follows two male beings who remain alive after mysterious circumstances kill any mammal with a Y chromosome, has been targeted for adaptation a few times in the past, but has never made the leap to the screen. In part, that’s because the comic series tells one long interlinked story about the young man Yorick and his Capuchin monkey, Ampersand, as Yorick seeks to reunite with his mother, a US Congresswoman.

There’s a lot more to the story than that, of course, and that leads to the other factor: the simple fact of the post-apocalyptic, country-spanning scope of the story. Cramming it into one film didn’t seem prudent, but planning a multi-film arc based on a property the public at large doesn’t know is something that always gives studios pause.

But now David Goyer, who is producing, says the film could shoot next year. Read More »

As superhero nation flocks to theaters this weekend to see Man of Steel, everyone is going to be talking about what’s next. How is Warner Bros. going to continue expanding the DC Universe? What bits of this film foreshadow that expansion? And what steps will be taken to eventually get to the Justice League?

None of those questions can be fully answered yet, but screenwriter David Goyer has provided some clues. The writer of Batman Begins, Man of Steel, the upcoming Man of Steel 2 and probably even Justice League revealed that not only does Man of Steel set up that larger DC Universe in theaters, Superman’s revelations in the film will directly influence characters in that world. Read his quotes, as well as a updates on Wonder Wonder, Aquaman and The Flash. Read More »

Man of Steel is simultaneously bigger and smaller than you are expecting. What’s bigger? The action. Super-sizing even The Avengers, Man of Steel has more action set pieces and devastating destruction than you’ve probably ever imagined. It’s jaw-dropping, heart-pumping stuff. What’s smaller? The story. Most of the film takes places in a very condensed, focused timeline, giving it an urgency and immediacy lacking in other superhero films. A smaller narrative raises the stakes as well as the emotional complexity.

Zack Snyder has made an epic and heartfelt adventure that successfully reboots the Superman character in a realistic, and humanistic way. Read More »

Along with the news that Man of Steel writer David Goyerwill be writing the sequel, Man of Steel 2, comes the news he’s also likely to pen a new script for Justice League. Deadline mentioned Goyer’s deal for Man of Steel 2 included the superhero team-up film, and at the Man of Steel premiere in New York he reportedly confirmed he is indeed writing Justice League. Read More »